Artwork Laboe Useless: Legendary DJ Behind Oldies However Goodies Format Was 97

Artwork Laboe, the pioneering Los Angeles DJ who championed the Oldies However Goodies format and was revered for sharing on-air dedications with listeners, died Oct. 7 in Palm Springs, Calif.

Laboe was the founding father of the Authentic Sound document label and the host of the long-running “Artwork Laboe Connection” syndicated radio program. He was one of many first DJs to play rock ‘n’ roll and R&B on West Coast radio stations.

Simply final month, Laboe, who was born celebrated his 79-year anniversary as a radio persona.

“My favourite place to be is behind that microphone,” Laboe mentioned on the time. “I’ve top-of-the-line jobs on the earth, taking part in the music, interacting with our listeners, doing their dedications and connecting them with their family members! Thanks to our devoted followers which have listened by the many years and made ‘The Artwork Laboe Connection’ a household custom,” he mentioned.

Laboe began tinkering with radios as a youth. He constructed his personal station by the age of 12. He broke into the airwaves in San Francisco on radio station KSAN in September 1943. Most just lately, “Artwork Laboe Connection” aired in Los Angeles on KDAY-FM on Sunday nights, in addition to many different stations all through the Southwest. He’s an inductee of the Nationwide Radio Corridor of Fame in addition to the Rock ‘n’ Roll Corridor of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio.

Born Arthur Egnoian in Salt Lake Metropolis, Laboe attended highschool in Los Angeles. He served within the Navy throughout World Warfare II After getting his begin within the Bay space, he moved to Los Angeles’ KXLA-AM in 1950 (the station later grew to become KRLA), in accordance with a Laboe historical past written by writer Harvey Kubernik.

Laboe “was the very first DJ to spin West Coast rock ’n’ roll, to merge race music beneath one broadcast. When Elvis Presley got here to city in 1956 with supervisor Colonel Parker, their solely interview granted was to Laboe. Artwork had been the primary individual to play the Solar Data of Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis. He launched Ricky Nelson to the radio airwaves. Laboe hosted dances on the El Monte Legion Stadium; in 1960, he teamed with Dick Clark to stage an unprecedented rock ’n’ roll present on the Hollywood Bowl that bought 18,000 tickets,” Kubernik wrote.

By 1958, “The Artwork Laboe Present” was a characteristic of radio station KPOP (now KTNQ) and his present originating from the favored Scrivner’s Drive-In restaurant in Hollywood was televised dwell on KTLA-TV. Round that point, as a brand new technology of acts started to overshadow the Forties and ’50s musical pioneers, Laboe noticed a possibility to faucet into nostalgia with compilation albums of early hits from the rock, R&B and doo-wop eras. By way of his Authentic Sound Leisure, he launched Oldies However Goodies and Devoted to You collections that helped protect a number of West Coast one-hit wonders akin to “Angel Child” by Rosie and the Originals and the unique “Earth Angel” by the Penguins.

Laboe was typically tapped by Hollywood as a marketing consultant and music producer. George Lucas labored with Laboe on licensing tunes for the soundtrack of his 1973 smash “American Graffiti,” and Laboe was pleased with making certain that the artists acquired their due and their lower of licensing income. Laboe additionally was concerned with music licensing for such movies as “Soiled Dancing,” “La Bamba,” “Deadly Weapon,” Good Morning Vietnam” (all launched in 1987) and 1989’s “Born on the Fourth of July.” Authentic Sound Leisure additionally represented songs for movie and TV licensing by such notables because the Seaside Boys, Jerry Lee Lewis, Ritchie Valens, The Stylistics, the Everly Brothers, Little Richard, Johnny Money, Carl Perkins and the Isley Brothers.

In his later years, Laboe was devoted to philanthropic work by his Artwork Laboe Basis, which focuses on serving to the underprivleged, animal charities and offering scholarship funds for highschool college students.

Laboe was married and divorced twice. He was predeceased by two sons, three sisters and one brother.

(Pictured: Artwork Laboe on the 2008 Hollywood Christmas Parade)